Full-Locked Coil Ropes with HDPE Sheath: Studies of Mechanical Behavior of HDPE Under Accelerated Aging

Benjamin Schaaf; Björn Abeln; Markus Feldmann; Elisabeth Stammen; Klaus Dilger

doi:10.3390/ma18010106

Full-Locked Coil Ropes with HDPE Sheath: Studies of Mechanical Behavior of HDPE Under Accelerated Aging

Materials (Basel). 2024 Dec 30;18(1):106. doi: 10.3390/ma18010106.

Authors

Benjamin Schaaf¹, Björn Abeln¹, Markus Feldmann¹, Elisabeth Stammen², Klaus Dilger²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Steel Construction, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
² Institute of Joining and Welding, Technical University of Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.

Abstract

In accordance with German guideline ZTV-ING Part 4, full-locked coil ropes are provided with a three-layer corrosion protection coating based on epoxy resin and polyurethane, which must be renewed regularly. An alternative method is to use a coating of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is extruded onto the rope. In this article, the mechanical behavior of the thermoplastic material is studied, taking into account various accelerated aging processes, which are derived from the climatic boundary conditions of a real bridge structure and implemented in tests. In addition to the quasi-static material behavior, which is described using the uniaxial tensile test, the cyclic conditioning, relaxation, type of production and oxidation stability are also investigated. Finally, the results obtained are evaluated with regard to the applicability of the material as corrosion protection for full-locked coil ropes.

Keywords: HPDE; accelerated aging; bridge cables; corrosion protection; mechanical characterization.

Grants and funding

The research activities were carried out as part of an overarching bridge project, in which the authors were commissioned by an engineering firm as a subcontractor as part of the renovation of the Fehmarnsund Bridge.